The Brisbane Lions are committed to Brisbane Airport as the preferred option for its new training and administration base.
The Club has been working through a process to identify the ideal location based on a thorough scoping process.
Those included proximity to central Brisbane, adequate space for the Club’s current needs and future expansion, elite turf oval and synthetic training field options, accessibility to the Hyundai Help for Kids Lions Academy catchment, land tenure arrangements and the site’s potential to grow fan engagement.
Options explored by the Club have included a redeveloped Coorparoo, QSAC at Nathan, and several outer-metropolitan sites.
The Brisbane Airport precinct has emerged as the Club’s preferred option, with the Board approving a plan that will seek to create a new purpose-built training facility and community hub to replace the cramped and aging Gabba facilities.
The Airport location is easily accessible from all over Brisbane via well-established road and transport networks.
Working closely with the AFL, the Lions are in negotiations with potential community partners, Brisbane City Council and Queensland and Federal Government representatives.
Brisbane Lions CEO Greg Swann said: “The airport is definitely our preferred option – it ticks boxes on all levels.
“From a Club perspective, building a national-standard training and administration home is the key to further developing our players and staff, as well as attracting talent into the future.
“The opportunity to create a much-needed community hub at Brisbane Airport is also really attractive. It will increase our engagement with fans and the local community, which is a key pillar of our Club strategy.”
The Lions recently partnered with the Coorparoo Roos, AFL and Brisbane City Council to upgrade lights at Coorparoo to support the development of Hyundai Help for Kids Lions Academy players and community footballers. A strategic plan to further develop Coorparoo as a community football venue is being carried out to support the Club’s summer training operations until the new facility in constructed.
The Club will update supporters as the project develops. A news hub has been created on lions.com.au which will feature all the latest information.
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